CHILDREN were handed some bright ideas on how to stay safe walking and cycling through Oxford.

Hundreds of reflective badges were presented to pupils at Windmill Primary School, Headington, and Orchard Meadow Primary School, Blackbird Leys, on Thursday.

The youngsters are among hundreds across the county learning road safety lessons for the dark hours of winter.

Lynn Knapp, headteacher at Windmill Primary School, said children as young as five are learning how to cross a road safely and about general road and traffic awareness.

Year Six pupils act as supervisors in the programme.

Mrs Knapp added: “The reflective clips will help the children be safe and be seen.

“Margaret Road, which runs outside our school, is very busy and this is about making sure none of the children has an accident due to their lack of awareness.”

Pupils from Orchard Meadow Primary School were handed the reflective badges as part of their cycle training.

The bike programme is a practical road-based training scheme to develop cycle skills and safe behaviour for children aged nine and over.

Both schemes are offered free to schools by Oxfordshire County Council.

Cllr Rodney Rose, the council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “Keeping children safe on our roads and pavements is vitally important, especially during the dark winter months.”

The 200 reflective clip-on badges were donated by Amey, based at Oxford Science Park.

Keith Sexton, Amey’s health, safety and environment director, said: “Ensuring children feel safe at a young age while walking and cycling will hopefully encourage these practices to continue, ultimately reducing car usage and emissions.”

There were 42 people killed and 301 seriously injured on Oxfordshire’s roads in 2008, compared with 34 and 340 in 2007.